The Long Journey Home - Dramione
by BekkaChaos
Summary: This book is the SEQUEL to A Forbidden Fantasy - Dramione, it follows on from that story as Draco has been named as a target for the vengeful death eaters after betraying them, causing the capture of some of their own. With Hermione also a target she takes his side, along with Ron, Luna and Neville, to hunt down the remaining dark wizards. Will the relationship survive?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One ~

**19****th**** September, 1999**

_3 months, 9 days since graduation_

Dark clouds covered the sky as the sun began setting behind them. A woman with dark brown hair walked up the winding street, pulling her coat closer to her as the wind chilled her skin and licked at her face, exposed through the gaps in her hood. She walked up to the house at the end of the street, the run down double story with a single light shining through the bottom story window that she called home.

The shutters that hung crookedly from the windows had come loose in the gale and slammed loudly into the rustic walls. As she walked up the creaky porch steps she pulled from her pocket a wand made of vine wood with a dragon heartstring core and waved it over the door handle.

Quickly she pocketed it before entering the house with quite a lot of help from the wind and forcing the door closed behind her. Inside the air was still, warm from the fire that she could hear crackling in the other room. She pulled her hood down and began unbuttoning her coat so that she could hang it on the coatrack.

She heard someone enter the room from the kitchen, his heavy footsteps causing the trick floorboard to creak under his weight.

"I've been waiting for you." He said.

She spun around to look at him; he almost didn't recognise her in her ice blue contact lenses.

"Well I had errands to run." She said as she walked past him and into the small dining room.

She rested a hand on the table as she looked around at the candles floating by the stormy windows and hovering over the centre of the table. It looked like he had put a lot of effort into this.

"I'm aware." He said, following her into the room.

"Well some of them turned out to be more difficult than others." She turned her back to him as she removed her contacts.

She blinked as her eyes adjusted.

"I don't like it, you out there alone. Especially on a night like this."

"You don't need to worry about me. I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself under duress." She took another look around the room, it was clear, neat.

The books that had been sprawled over the table were tidily arranged in the corner and the coats were all hung so nicely on the rack beside the door.

"Why the change in scenery?" She asked, turning to look at him properly.

He smiled, that half smirk that he knew she loved, he executed it so well. "You didn't think I would forget your birthday did you?" He asked.

He stepped closer to her, his body drawing nearer slowly. With that smirk still glued to his lips he pressed himself against her and leaned in for a deep, slow kiss. His lips pulled back only an inch and she smiled, biting her lip gently.

"I didn't think you'd be so careless." He kissed her again, this time his hands holding her sides, resting on the slender curves of her hips.

She cupped his face in her hands, savouring the taste of his lips, a light stubble on his chin grazing her as she opened her mouth wider to take more of him in.

His hand slipped down her thigh and lifted her until she was seated on the table and her legs were wrapped around his waist. He reached back and let his fingers trace her from ankle to calf and then back over her thigh, lifting the hem of her long coat ever so slightly.

He tore his lips from hers and let them make their way along her chin and down her neck where they kissed her quite marvellously.

"I see you made plans for it then." She said with that playful arrogance that he enjoyed so much.

"Not so much, I would be happy to do this any day of the year." He murmured into her neck.

She laughed at his eagerness but pushed him away. His hungry eyes burned with questions and she wouldn't leave him unanswered.

"I thought you might say that." Her cheeks flushed a little.

She began to unbutton her large coat, her fingers shaking with both nerves and excitement. His eyes watched her fingers work with absolute attention and it wasn't until she had released the last button that she let it slide off her shoulders and fall to the table.

She wore a plain T-shirt and her tight black pants and he thought she looked perfect. She never changed herself for him and it made him glad to have someone like her.

He caressed her face before he slid his hand down over her chest. She leant back as his hand glided easily over her stomach and thighs.

"I think I should take you upstairs." He said roughly, his voice low in his throat.

She just smiled as he lifted her off the table to carry her up the old flight of stairs and into the master bedroom. He threw her down on the bed, his eyes sweeping over her body and back up to her eyes. He held her gaze as he climbed over her, holding his hips against hers as he kissed her. She could feel his heat building against her and her body throbbed with his every touch.

His hand reached down to unbutton her pants and pulled them down her thighs so she could kick them to the floor. As she did he slipped out of his jeans and tossed them across the room. He looked back down at her sprawled on the bed and kissed her, his hand reaching under her top and brushing her soft skin.

"I love you." He purred.

"I know," she breathed as he kissed his way down her neck and lifted her shirt so he could continue down her stomach.

She heard her heavy breaths echo in her ears like the blood pounding through her body, louder and louder, and drowning everything else out. His lips found her and she felt like the room was spinning. It was like a fantasy in slow motion and when he found his way back to her lips she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He gently caressed her folds with his hand and she groaned into his mouth. She could feel that tingling feeling in her stomach, that impossible feeling that she hadn't thought was possible until she met him.

His hungry eyes stared down into hers, beads of sweat glittering on his forehead. Her shaking hands slipped under the thin fabric of his boxer shorts and she took him in her hand. He closed his eyes and his jaw dropped slightly. He made a laboured sound before he took his hands off her to take the boxers off and swing one of her legs to his side so that he was kneeling between her legs.

"I love you too." She panted.

He smirked down at her. "I know."

He kissed her gently on the nose before he slowly urged himself inside her. She dropped her bottom lip and he left soft kisses along her jaw as he thrust gently against her hips.

She felt so warm and soft around him. It was as if she was moulded just for him to fit her and as she tightened her grip in his hair his hips pulsated faster, swivelling them only a little.

She let out and audible groan and he replied with an inhibited moan, his fingers gripping the sheets tighter.

She arched her back and thrust back into him, seeing the look on his face. It was one of sheer pleasure. His breathing became shallow and her world was spinning as he came inside her. Her muscled tightened around him and he struggled to keep himself held above her as the overwhelming bliss ran through his body in waves.

She leant up and placed a tender kiss on his cheek before he rolled onto his back, panting harshly. She stared up at the ceiling and he reached over to take her hand in his.

"So… was there anything you wanted for your birthday?" He said with a weak smile.

She snuggled up close to him. "How could there be anything else that I could want?"

They shared a kiss and she rolled out of bed to shower. The hot water felt amazing on her hypersensitive skin. She was covered in goose bumps but it wasn't the weather that had shivers running through her.

Once she dressed she wandered downstairs in her long sleeved shirt and jeans only to find that there was more than one man standing in her kitchen. The two of them didn't get along all that well but they had made more of an effort since she had become their mutual friend. She could never fully explain to them how much that mean to her.

"You're here." She said and the two of them turned to look at her.

"Yeah, it's your birthday. You didn't think I'd miss your birthday did you?" He smiled and she ran over to hug him. "By the way, there's a present over there from mum, she wants to know when she'll be seeing you."

She didn't let him go for a few seconds more, she hadn't seen him in two weeks and any friendly faces are a welcome sight, his in particular.

The first man turned away sullenly, he wouldn't let his jealousy at her fondness for him ruin their night – even if he had to share it.

"Let me guess," she pulled back and looked up at him with a smile. "A new sweater?"

He laughed and pulled his coat off and hung it over the back of the chair. "Probably, you know what she's like, always fussing."

She grinned and reached up to kiss his cheek before turning to the parcel sitting atop the table. Her fingers untied the string and she turned it over to carefully peel off the tape.

Both men watched as she pulled away the paper to reveal a hand knitted set of mittens and matching bobble hat. She smiled at the gesture and knew she would definitely wear them out in the coming cold weather.

"I guess you were wrong about the sweater." The first man muttered.

"These are just as good – better even! Make sure you thank her for me." She said, ignoring the tone in her lover's voice.

"She can't wait to see you, when do you think that will be?" He asked.

She sighed. "Not for a while yet I suppose, I only just got the last of the things I need to make the potion."

"Well we can wait, for as long as you need. Oh, and while I think of it…" He reached down into his coat and pulled out another small parcel from one of the inside pockets. "For you Hermione, for your birthday." His smile was warm and caring and her face positively radiated happiness.

"Oh Ron! You didn't have to!" She took the parcel from him and began to unwrap it.

She didn't have to remove the paper to know that it was a book. Its hard cover was obvious under the thin brown wrapping.

_Difficult Incantations and Advanced Magic: Third Edition._

"I love it, thank you!" She reached over and gave his hand a squeeze. "I think Draco is preparing something for dinner." She looked up at him and he gave her a sad excuse for a smile.

She wandered over to where he stood in the kitchen, his back now turned to her. She placed one hand gently on his back and stroked his shoulder blades gently, leaving a tender kiss on his arm.

She knew he didn't like it when Ron came by, his jealousy was always more obvious than he would have preferred. There was still one more face to come and he had been preparing this meal all day in the hope that he could impress her and avoid looking the fool in front of her friends. The one person he actually felt comfortable around wouldn't be joining them; she was back at school for her final year.

As if on cue there was a feeble knock on the door and Ron stood up from his place at the table. "I'll get it."

When he was out of earshot Hermione leant in close to whisper in Draco's ear. "I know you would rather not have them here, but they're doing a lot for us, and they're all I have now."

He sighed. They meant so much to her and he knew it. He would never deny her the chance to see them, especially when he knows what it feels like to be completely alone.

"And you're all I have, so if they make you happy I won't make a fuss." She turned his chin toward her and gave him a kiss; his words making her feel lucky to be where she was.

"Sorry I'm late; my grandmother wouldn't stop pestering me." Neville walked in, a grand smile on his face and Hermione threw her arms around him for a brief embrace.

"I'm just glad to see you, how's Luna going?" She asked and they sat down at the table.

Draco stayed in the kitchen, cooking a welcome distraction from the visitors that he still couldn't quite call friend.

"Great, she's glad to be back, she says Ginny's still ignorin' her though." He shrugged a little.

Poor Luna, Ginny was the only one left to really understand her and with the rest of them gone she was all but alone.

"Ginny's ignoring everyone." Ron said with a sigh.

Hermione could see the mood turning sour and as much as she wanted it to be a happy occasion she knew that happy moments were always marred by the empty chairs that sat around the small table and the people who should be sitting in them.

"And Harry?" She asked with hope in her voice but none in her heart.

Ron shook his head. "It's impossible in that house, between the two of them not talking to me and mum non-stop talking to me I don't have a moment to think about anything else."

Silence filled the room for a moment, all of them thinking about how different it could have been.

Draco hated that silence. He knew that it was he who caused it, the rift between the once stable group that they were was torn by his relationship with Hermione. He loved her, and wouldn't trade her for anything, but sometimes he wished they could just go back so that she could be completely happy again.

"I think I brought a dark cloud with me." Neville muttered.

Hermione shook her head, "nonsense, we just need to stop dwelling on the bad things."

"I think I'll give Draco a hand." Neville said stiffly.

Out of the two of them he was the one who tried the hardest to be nice to him. It was clear that they were the most out of place pair imaginable but they both tolerated one another and put aside their past differences to try, each for an equally extraordinary girl.

If it weren't for Luna he might not even be here, and there was no way that Draco would last all this time without saying something derogatory to Neville if it wasn't for Hermione.

He had changed though, those thoughts never occupied his mind anymore. He accepted Neville, more than he did Ron, but that was more to do with jealousy than anything else.

The two of them silently worked together in the kitchen until the meal was ready and Hermione waved her wand to bring the plates over to the table.

"I uh, brought us some proper butterbeer, to celebrate." Neville pulled out a large bottle from his satchel bag and smiled.

"Well go on, pour us a glass!" Ron said, the grin spreading from ear to ear.

They poured out four glasses and Draco held his up in the air. "Happy birthday Hermione." He said, his loving smile reserved only for her and she blushed.

"Happy birthday." The others repeated and they took longs sips from their glasses.

They were determined to enjoy this fleeting moment of calm before the storm finally arrives.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two ~

**18****th**** June, 1999**

_8 days since graduation_

Hermione took a long look around her bedroom. Her wardrobe was now bare and the books that had once filled all four corners of the room were packed away and ready to be moved to her new home.

After the threats that she and Draco had received she knew that she couldn't stay at home and put her parents in danger. The last thing she needed was for _them_ to find out where they lived and come after them.

She felt a hand come down on her shoulder and she flinched. The hand gave her a squeeze and pulled her in close.

"You have lived in this room for most of your life, do you know that?" Her mother said, staring nostalgically at the faded walls and old bare furniture.

"Mum…" Hermione smiled and shook her head, feeling sad to be leaving it.

"So… where is this new place of yours?" Her mother asked.

"About an hour by train." She said.

"We shall have to come and visit you when you're settled in."

Hermione nodded, not wanting to spoil things by telling her that she shouldn't be coming to visit at all.

She had her belongings all packed up and in the living room, she would apparate with them to the new place to avoid shipping and stay under the noses of the death eaters that remained at large. She had no idea if they were coming immediately or whether they were going to plan something more elaborate out.

All she knew was that they were going to strike at some point so she and Draco were making a fast move. He hadn't let on to Hermione just how much money he had in his trust funds, it was by far enough to get them a house twenty times the size of the one he had bought. He had settled with something small and dishevelled on the outside because he knew it would be something that the Death Eaters wouldn't expect of him.

Truthfully it hurt Draco's pride to buy such a house, he wanted to give Hermione everything he could and the scrappy dump that he had bought for her was so far from everything. He knew that it was the best plan for them though.

Besides, he would make sure the inside was far nicer.

She walked down into the living room with her mother and into her father's arms for a hug.

"My little girl isn't so little anymore." He said with a grin. "You best make sure Draco takes care of you out there."

Hermione smiled with a little roll of her eyes. "You know I will dad."

Her mother began to tear up as she pulled Hermione into her again. She said her goodbyes to her parents, she would of course write to them but she had no idea when she would see them next. She had to keep them safe.

She had all of her books in a backpack enhanced by an extension charm, along with her clothes. There was nothing much else she needed. Draco was already at their new house, he had bought it in very much of a hurry. She couldn't believe how quick he had managed it and she would have preferred it if she had a little more time with her parents, but she knew that this was for the best.

So when her goodbyes were said she gave them a smile before apparating to the street that he had told her. She looked at the long winding street that would soon become her home and exhaled heavily. The number on the house closest was one hundred and forty five. She was looking for one hundred and sixty two. So she walked up the street slowly, watching the numbers go past, until she saw the one.

It didn't look like much, and upon first glance she thought that she must have been mistaken, but there it stood in front of her. She walked up to the door and decided that she would knock upon the solid wood rather than unlocking it herself.

She beat her knuckles gently against the door and waited for a response.

When Draco opened the door she was startled by his appearance.

"What have you done to your hair?" She said.

He gave her a bewildered look and laughed. "Is that really the first thing you want to say to me?"

"I'm sorry I just wasn't expecting it to be so short on the sides!" She grinned at him and he took her hand in his to pull her through the door.

He stood still for a moment while she inspected it. He had it trimmed close on the sides and just long enough to lift into tufty spikes at the front. It was still as blonde as ever.

"Is it that bad?" He asked.

"No, not at all. Actually I quite like it." She reached up to run her hands through the sides and he smiled.

"Would you like the grand tour?" He asked, the smile never leaving his lips.

"Here I was thinking that the circumstances that we're in are rather dire and you're beaming like a light on the end of a dock." She laughed.

"It's not every day that I get to buy us our first house. I… I thought you would be at least a little excited." He said.

There was an ounce of disappointment in his voice and if he were speaking to anyone other than her they wouldn't have noticed. With a hand on his cheek she stretched up and placed a damp kiss on his supple lips.

"Of course I'm excited. I only wish we didn't have this big black cloud hanging over us."

"Well can we try to forget about it, for an hour or two at least?" he gave her a darling smile and she sighed playfully.

"Well then you had better start showing me around this place Malfoy. It's a little small for your tastes isn't it?" She teased.

He shook his head and smirked. "It just makes everything else look bigger, Granger." She laughed and with a little flush of her cheeks he took her hand to show her the small house at number one hundred and sixty two.

They walked through an archway, out of the foyer, and into a small dining room. It was cosy, charming. She could see into the kitchen from where she stood; through another archway and there was a door that led to the laundrette. They walked back through the foyer and into a small lounge room that housed a tiny television set, a well-treated couch and a large bookcase up against a wall.

There was a small bathroom off to the side. There wasn't much to the downstairs but it was enough.

He led her upstairs, his hand still held firmly in hers, and turned to the right. He opened the door to the second bedroom. It was plain and modest with a single window, a bed and a dresser.

"I figure that no one will be staying in here so there's no need to do anything with it." Draco shrugged.

There was a study in between the two bedrooms. He had equipped it with a large desk and another bookshelf. There would only be enough room in there for one person at a time, possibly two if they squeezed.

It was then that he led her to the master bedroom, a glint in his eye as he opened the door for her. She walked in to the most well decorated room in the house. He had clearly put a lot of thought into this.

The bed was a queen at least, it had a large wooden headboard and two matching bedside tables. The duvet was a creamy colour with a lavender pattern at the bottom and the wispy curtains were a matching shade of purple. A rectangular mirror sat atop the dresser and there was a door leading to the bathroom which was substantially larger than the downstairs one.

"Well, that's about it." He said, looking over the room.

She smiled and launched herself at him, causing them both to topple over onto the bed. He smiled up from underneath her and her sparkling eyes took his breath away.

"It's perfect." Her lips crushed against his and he snaked his arms around her waist.

"It's better now that you're here." He murmured against her.

She let herself get lost in him, in his eyes, in the feeling of his lips crashing into hers like waves against the shore. She felt his heart beating through his chest as he lay beneath her, his breathing laboured as he held her weight on top of him. She let herself dive deep into the ocean that was her love for him.

Everything he did was for her, he always thought about ways that he could prove his worth to her. He didn't feel like he deserved her unless he was trying to make her happy.

She pushed herself up and out of her subconscious, out of her dream and sat beside him on the bed. He scoot closer to her and put his hand on her thigh.

"What do we do now?" She asked softly.

"You've been here all of five minutes and already you've made it gloomy." He said with the smallest of smiles to cheer her up.

"Well we have to face the reality of it all."

"I'd rather just forget about it for a few days more."

"Draco you know we can't do that." She sighed, knowing that all he wanted was for this to _finally_ be over.

"I know."

"Well, we have to talk to the ministry, I'm sure we can make some kind of agreement because if anything we're going to be the ones to draw them out – the death eaters that is, and that will hopefully make it easier for the ministry to make an arrest." Draco groaned. "What?"

"The ministry aren't exactly my biggest fan. I'm sure they'd throw me into Azkaban just as soon as they would any of the others."

"That's not true, and McGonagall wouldn't let that happen I'm sure of it." She said reassuringly but he just nodded without conviction. After a few moments of silence she spoke up again. "I asked Ron to come over for a bit…" she felt him tense up beside her but his lips remained shut. "I want to make sure he's okay with everything. Harry is living at his house and taking this side of the matter has made things rather awkward between them. He should be here any minute."

Draco just nodded and she tenderly kissed his cheek. She stood up to head downstairs and as she reached the landing she heard the familiar crack of apparition. She headed to the door and peeked through the lens to see Ron walking up the drive.

She opened the door and gave him a warm smile as she welcomed him inside. He agreed to a brief tour of the house, from Hermione, Draco sat in the far corner of the living room reading. When they had seen everything they headed back to the dining room and Hermione fixed them some tea before joining him at the table.

"It's nice, quaint even." He said as he took a large gulp from his cup.

"It is isn't it?" She smiled. "How's things at home?"

He sighed a little. "A bit awkward really. I mean, Ginny keeps lecturing me about it all, and Harry keeps giving me these looks like… I don't know, I think he wants to do something but he doesn't want to lose Ginny. He did it once and I know he regretted it after, I don't think they could pick up a third time, not if he decided to help us- well, him." Hermione nodded, her fingers tracing the lines of the wood in the table. "I just think he's tired you know? He doesn't have that burning in his scar anymore, he doesn't have anyone threatening to kill everyone he loves- well, I mean that he can't put the blame on himself for it anyway. He's had to deal with it all for so long that I think once it finished it was finished for him, you know? Not like he's given up, just like he wants to do something but he's scared it'll go on for another seven years. I don't know if he'd be strong enough to get through that."

Hermione thought about his words, of course she could understand why he hadn't stepped up to help them; she didn't blame Harry for that. He was too well worn for a man of just eighteen. He needed some time and if they came back to one another she would forget that he hadn't stepped forward, she just wanted him back.

"He must be so exhausted. I mean a year went by and he thought it was all over. It must have come back to hit him pretty hard." She said. "Does he talk to you at all?"

"Sometimes, not much really. We're both starting in the auror program about mid-July." He said.

"Will you be working together?"

"Probably not. Besides, I think he needs to learn how to save himself without me." They both smiled mildly before taking sips from their mugs. "What are you going to do here?"

She shrugged a bit. "I suppose I'll be trying to figure out ways to draw out the death eaters without getting myself or Draco killed.

"You don't have to worry about me so much." They both turned their attention to Draco who was now standing in the archway between the foyer and the dining room.

"She has a tendency to do that." Ron said, a little icily really but it was an attempt at bonding.

"I know." Draco returned in an equally icy tone.

He walked into the kitchen to pour some tea for himself.

"Are the two of you going to promise to be civil to one another?" Hermione asked.

Both of them gave her an astonished look.

"That _was _civil!" Ron said.

"You think that was me being snide?" Draco asked.

Hermione gave a little roll of her eyes. "That was _barely_ civil and I know exactly when you're being snide which is why I know that you were being smug just now so if we _are _going to work together can the two of you please behave like men?"

They exchanged looks before pursing their lips.

"Fine." They said in unison.

"Good." Hermione shook her head at the two of them, knowing that this was going to be a long road but hoping that they could find a way to get along.

"I'll keep sending you owls with information and I can talk to the ministry if you want, I can get dad to take me in." Ron said. "By the way, are Luna and Neville stopping by?"

"They should be, though I'm not sure when. I think we'll be lucky if they don't come toting Neville's grandmother." She smiled.

Draco snickered a bit but tried to hold it back, not just for Hermione but for Luna too. After all, she was probably his only real friend. He was never going to admit it but he was actually looking forward to seeing her.

Ron stayed for most of the afternoon. He and Draco dodged each other at all costs, sometimes to the point of amusement for Hermione. Though they were being childish she knew that their animosity towards one another wasn't going to change overnight.

Neville arrived with Luna as the day became closer to night, claiming that he had been coerced into having tea with Xenophillius Lovegood when he found his way to Luna's and was not able to escape his wildly fascinating stories despite the tea going ice cold.

"He really does adore you." Luna had said with a whimsical smile as Neville relayed the story.

Draco sat away from the other in the living room, knowing that if he were to join them it would be awkward. It wasn't long before Luna came to join him.

"You know you're being really quite antisocial sitting in here with your book. Why not come out for some tea?" She said with a tilt of her head and her doe eyes wide and thoughtful.

"I'm used to being antisocial."

"Well perhaps it's time for a change." She smiled and held out her hand to him.

He sighed and reluctantly took it before she gently dragged him out to join the group. He was right; the atmosphere was tense when he was there. He knew that they still weren't completely comfortable with everything between them.

Luna was either oblivious to the tension or chose to ignore it because she would refer to Draco for his opinion on everything from nargles to the state of the current ministerial government.

"You're house is nice, but I think it needs a garden." Luna said, Neville's ears picking up immediately.

"Neville can do it. I'm sure he's just dying to try out some new specimens he's found." Ron grinned and Neville laughed.

"Maybe you and Draco could do it." Luna said, the room falling quiet.

"Oh… I uh… well I don't know anything much about plants." Draco said.

"Neville's a wonderful teacher." She persisted.

"Well… if you wanted I could do something for you. It'd be nice to have my own- uh, the space to plant some new things." He said, his ears turning slightly crimson.

"You're welcome to the garden Neville, really." Hermione smiled. "Aren't you going off to study herbology in a few months?"

His face lit up at the chance to talk about it.

He was going to be studying magical plants and the natural species. Thanks to professor Sprout he had gained an early entry to the prestigious school. It was something that he could be proud of.

Luna was off to finish her last year of school, Neville was studying herbology like he wanted, and Ron was becoming an auror finally.

All that left was Hermione and Draco. Would they be able to make a somewhat normal life for themselves with all of this going on or would they have to wait until it was over?

The death eaters didn't know about their allies but how long would it take for them to discover their hideaway?

These questions bubbled under the surface of both Hermione and Draco's mind as they discussed their futures.

At that point they really didn't know what the future would hold, or whether there would be much of a future at all.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three ~

**27****th**** June, 1999**

_17 days after graduation_

Hermione put her head in her hands and exchanged brief eye contact with Luna who was sitting next to her.

Neville was biting his lip with a distressed look on his face and fumbling with his hands on his lap. Luna sat with her face unchanged, as contemplative as ever.

The yelling was ceaseless and Hermione thought that if she let them get it all out now they would stop and calm down but so far it only seemed to be escalating.

"Well I think that I've done enough evading of those people in my seven years at school to know how to do it again." Ron said with an icy hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Well I've lived with them and as much as you like to think of yourself as a genius I think we both know how wrong that is." Draco growled menacingly.

"Yeah, we all know what you've done." Ron deadpanned.

The two of them growled at one another across the table and Hermione shook her head, getting up to leave. They broke their manic eye contact to watch her as she walked up the stairs before beginning their screaming match again.

"Come on Neville, let's go and admire the garden." Luna said as she got up.

"There is no garden, it's just dirt and grass." Neville said, looking a little confused.

"I'm sure we can find something interesting out there." She tilted her head to the side and Neville jumped up, finally getting the picture.

They both left the two men to argue like school boys in the dining room to find somewhere a little more peaceful. Hermione shut the door to her bedroom and turned the lock. She could hear their muffled voices travelling up the stairs and crashing in waves into the door.

She knew that this wasn't going to be easy but she had hoped at least that they could refrain from biting one another's heads off. At least for one day anyway. She rested against the door and closed her eyes. She just wished that _his_ former followers would give up on this ridiculous vendetta.

It was all some kind of sick power trip to them. They didn't need to do this, they had no lord, they had no allies, they just wanted to prove that they could still have control. The only problem is that they aren't smart like _he_ was. What good would it do to see Hermione and Draco dead?

Would it fix their damaged pride? Even then what could possibly com next? Her head was spinning as the weight of everything came crashing down on her.

She looked over to the table by her bedside. As she walked over to it and opened the top drawer she eyed a recently opened letter.

She had received it almost a week ago and she was sure that it's sender had written a draft or two before this copy came to be. Hermione had hidden it from Draco, knowing that he wouldn't really want to see it anyway.

She grabbed it lightly in her fingertips and unfolded it until the words cascaded down the page in that familiar handwriting. It was probably the fifth time that she had read it.

_Hermione,_

_ I know I'm probably the last person you thought you would hear from but I couldn't just leave things the way they were. I really am sorry that I didn't stand by you. I had always thought I would and I regret walking away._

_You have to know that it was hard for me to see you with him, after all these years I just can't understand it. If you tell me you're happy I'll do my best to believe that. I know I turned back to save him in the room of requirement, but it doesn't mean that we like one another._

_It was all supposed to be over. It all was over. And I made a promise to Ginny that we would put all of it behind us to move on with our lives so now I don't know where to stand. I know that we broke up for a while but without her I just felt… I was missing something and I can't lose her again Hermione, I just can't._

_Please understand me, I want to be there for you but between the promise I made to her and how exhausted I am… I think I need some time to do things for me._

_I know how selfish that must sound. I know that you probably can't forgive me for saying it all when you need me, but Ginny needs me too. She hasn't been coping so well lately, and going back to school without everyone has her in a state. I can't leave her Hermione._

_I know you can understand that._

_I wish things were different. I really do._

_I'm sorry Hermione._

_You're more than just my best friend, you're my family. I love you. Hopefully things will change, soon._

_I hope you can forgive me, Harry._

She sighed and fluttered her glassy eyes as she read through the letter again. Of course she understood. They had both grown up in a muggle world, single children in a world that wasn't quite right for them and meeting one another found the sibling that they had never had. She could never be mad at Harry for doing what he did. It was bound to be hard for him to swallow and he had someone else to take care of now. She almost didn't need his letter to know why he had made the choice he did, but she was glad to have it, and of course she forgave him.

The letter had come to her through the hands of Ron, though Hermione didn't think he even knew about it. Molly had sent through some food and recipes for her and stuffed inside the pack was a small sealed envelope addressed to her.

She kept its existence a secret from everyone, feeling like Harry wanted it to be for only her.

She knew how he felt to want to be there for Ginny, to keep her safe and protect her from all of the awful things that she must still be feeling. After all that was exactly what she was doing for Draco.

They sat facing the same bridge from opposite banks, unable to cross over to the other side.

She would find a way to get back across, even if she had to think of it on her own. There was no way she would let something come between Harry and her, he meant so much. For now though they would have to wait, do the things that they needed to until everything fit together again.

There was a loud knocking on her door and she dropped the letter as the sound startled her. She quickly gathered it and stuffed it away in her drawer before walking to the door and pulling it back.

Ron and Draco stood in the hall looking very guilty with themselves. They stood apart from one another, clearly wanting to put as much space between them as possible. They opened their mouths to speak but Hermione cut across them.

"Are the two of you done acting like children?" She asked curtly.

They gave each other stony looks before turning back to her and nodding.

"We will never get anything done if the two of you can't get along with each other for at least a few hours every couple of days. Honestly, you'd think you could manage that. Draco, he helped to save you and your friend in the room of requirement during the battle." She looked over to him and he dropped his head, not really wanting to admit it but remaining silent. "And Ron…" She looked up at him and tilted her head.

She couldn't say anything about using the time turner or how Draco had saved Hermione's life, not in front of him anyway. They still hadn't told him and Hermione stayed firm on the fact that she wouldn't tell him, he didn't need to know it.

Ron just nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. Draco's eyes glowed with green at the fact that she didn't have to speak for him to understand. _What are they trying to hide_? He thought to himself before turning his head away from them sharply.

"We can't be fighting each other when there are bigger problems to face. Now will one of you go downstairs and get Neville and Luna so we can try and sort something out?" They both made moves for the stairs but after holding very firm eye contact for a moment Draco headed down to the back door.

"Honestly, I really don't know what you see in him." Ron shrugged and gave her a weak smile.

"You don't know the Draco that I do." She walked past him and down the stairs to sit back at the kitchen table.

Ron came down the stairs after her, still looking slightly sheepish as he joined her. Draco walked in soon after with Neville and Luna behind him. Hermione didn't think that Neville was completely trusting of Draco but she was glad that he kept all if any doubts to himself, at least when they were together in the group.

"Are we all back to friends again?" Luna asked with a smile.

"As close as they'll ever be." Hermione said.

"Look, we may not be friends or anything but we need to start sorting things out because I'm sure that they have already got things going." Neville said suddenly.

"He's right." Draco piped up quietly.

Except for arguing with Ron he rarely said anything.

"Well let's go through this again then." Hermione said.

"Well I go back to school in two months so I won't be of much use." Luna said.

"You can always do some research, the school library has a lot more than we could ever get our hands on." Draco offered.

"Well that sounds like a good idea, I do like visiting the library." She smiled over at him and he gave her a modest one back.

Neville's eyes darted from one of them to the other before he put his arm around Luna's shoulders. "Just don't think you have to put your studies in jeopardy to help us, you should try and focus on that." He said.

"Neville's right, you should make sure you get everything done before you try adding to the load." Hermione smiled.

"You all sound like my father, I only have study and then free time in the castle, there's nothing else for me to do there. Except for reading, I like to read, so the library would be good for me."

They all looked at one another rather guiltily before moving on.

"When are you starting your study Neville?" Ron asked.

"Not long after Luna goes back to Hogwarts, but I won't be boarding or anything." He said.

"Well my hours are probably going to be all over the place while I'm training, they're already placing a few of us in higher levels of training, you know, because of all the stuff we've been through. I'll have some night shifts, but mostly days." Ron said.

"Well neither of us have anything better to do than sit around formulating plans and hiding away." Hermione said with a sigh.

Draco felt a pang in his chest. If she didn't think that she had to stay with him to protect him then she could be off doing something far more interesting, and far less dangerous. He didn't want to hold her back like this but every time he tried to bring it up she brushed  
him off and told him that she wouldn't leave him.

"So have you come up with anything?" Luna asked.

"Well, I do have one idea but Draco thinks that-"

"This isn't that thing about the ministry is it?" he cut her off.

"Yes, and Ron thinks it would be a good idea too." She gave Draco a look.

She didn't want to have to bring Ron into the argument but Draco just didn't want to risk including the ministry.

"Well what is it?" Neville asked.

"I think we need to explain it all, tell them about the threats that they sent and who we know is involved. If we can try and work with them then it gives us better security and we both get what we want; these people in Azkaban where they belong." She said.

"So what's his problem?" Ron said, jerking his head towards Draco.

Draco shot him a filthy look but held his tongue.

"Draco feels like they won't trust him, like they're waiting for him to slip up so they can punish him too." Hermione gave a little shrug, almost like she believed it could be true.

"They didn't put your parents away so they have to know the circumstances, right?" Neville asked, looking over at Draco.

He was about to speak when Ron snorted. "Yeah, and they'd have to have a pretty good reason not to lock up _his_ family." He chuckled a little and Draco looked over at him with a glare that could kill.

Neville and Luna just sort of dropped their mouths. "Ronald!" Hermione gasped, shaking her head.

Ron looked up at all of their expressions and sighed. "I was just joking alright? I'm sorry."

"No you weren't, you meant it, obviously. My father was pardoned because he refrained from fighting once I was out of danger and we could get away. He didn't want what happened to the school or the people in it, people like… Not even the muggle borns." Draco snapped.

"Yeah, okay, I said I'm sorry, okay?" Ron put a hand up to calm him and they both sank back into their chairs.

Hermione looked over at Draco whose face was blank and emotionless. She admired the way he still stood up for his father despite how angry he is at him. Even after everything he still wouldn't let anyone say anything bad about him.

"You can talk to the ministry; just let me know what you're going to say before you do it." Draco said to no one in particular.

"We'll work something out." Ron said without looking at him.

After a long silent pause Neville stood up out of his chair. "Well, it's getting late so I better head on home, I said I'd be back by six. I'll send you my school schedule when I get it and you can just let me know what you need." He smiled.

"If Neville's leaving then I had better go with him, my father will be missing me already. He doesn't like when I'm out so much, it reminds him of when I was taken." She smiled and Draco took in a deep breath.

It had been his house that she was taken to.

Hermione led them out and said goodbye as Neville took Luna's hand and apparated them both away. Luna's face looked a little uneasy before they disappeared.

Hermione could relate, the feeling when you apparate was nothing short of horrible.

Ron was off shortly after. Hermione pulled him into a hug before letting him leave too. She waved slightly and he returned the gesture before a loud crack and he disappeared.

As she walked back into the living room she put on a smile but Draco wasn't there. She poked her head into the lounge and kitchen but turned her attention upstairs when she heard the shower turn on.

She knew that something would be upsetting him after today. There was a lot said, and just as much unsaid. So she waited until he had finished his shower and she knew that he would be coming down for dinner.

She had ordered a pizza. She hadn't done that for years but she loved pizza, even if it was a very muggle thing. It had been delivered and she was sitting at the table for over ten minutes before he made his way down.

He stopped for a minute and eyed the food.

"I didn't know that you had muggle money on you." He said before taking a seat.

"My mother gave me some but I hardly need to use it." She said with a weak smile.

They sat down to eat very quietly. Neither of them said much, they just ate their dinner and put the leftovers away in the fridge.

They didn't say much the rest of the night and when they got into bed Draco rolled onto his side, facing away from her.

"Draco?" She asked tentatively.

"Yeah?" He said softly.

"Is everything alright?" She said through the cool darkness of the bedroom.

"Yeah." He said again.

"Draco…" She reached out and touched the bare skin of his back with her small hands and ran her fingertips over the lines of his muscled body.

He sighed at her touch and rolled over to look into her rich chocolate eyes, blurred by the darkness.

"Are you alright?" She repeated, her hand moving to his cheek.

Draco closed his eyes and sighed. "You know you don't have to stay with me." He said suddenly.

"Draco I've told you-"

"No, you haven't, you've said that you're not going anywhere and that you love me but you've never said that this is what you wanted. I don't want you to do this for me when you get nothing in return. You deserve better than this." He said.

"Hey…" She crawled closer to him and slipped her arm around his waist. "I do want other things for my life but I don't want them if I can't have you as well. I want to finish this and have it gone. I need it gone before I can do anything else." She said.

"You still deserve better than me, and they all know it."

"Don't let what Ron says get to you. He can't control himself sometimes; he's a bit of a hot head like that. I'm glad that you're trying to hold your tongue though." She smiled.

Draco scoffed. "What's the point if he's not going to try?"

She narrowed her eyes with a little smile. "Because I'll know that you're trying, and that you care about me."

His eyes softened and he leant in to press his soft lips into hers. "You should already know that." He whispered.

"I do." She nuzzled into him and he put and arm under her head to prop her up for the night.

"So don't forget it." He kissed her head and closed his eyes.

His mind wandered to subjects that he would rather not think about but every time he looked down at her it made him feel better. He probably wouldn't get much sleep that night but at least he had her in his arms.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four ~

**2****nd**** October, 1999**

_22 days after graduation_

"I'm not saying that you have to wear them, just that it might be a bit safer if you look different." Draco said with a smile.

"I think you just want to play out a little fantasy." She grinned, taking the little box out of his hands. "Would you like me to die my hair blonde as well?"

He laughed and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her into his hips in the small space of their living room.

"I love your hair the way it is." She smiled and looked away from his eyes. "Though I wouldn't mind if it were a little less wild some of the time…" Hermione beat her hands lightly into his chest and his grinning lips found hers. "But really, I would prefer it if you could wear them, just so that I know you have some way of hiding who you are."

Hermione looked down at the small box in her hands that contained the bright blue contact lenses. He was right, she knew that.

"They haven't made any movements that we know of, we haven't heard anything." She said softly.

He sighed, his eyes searching hers and finding the hope that she had for a time when they won't have to hide themselves from the world, a hope that maybe this is over before it's begun.

"They won't just jump into it. Mulciber might want to but the others won't let him do anything brash. Trust me, they have something planned." He said.

She nodded and nuzzled into his neck. "Well I wish they would just get it all over with. I can't stand the wait anymore."

"I know." He said, he didn't want her to have to think about it all the time.

"Maybe I should cut my hair." She looked up at him with a smile as she tried to make light of the situation.

"I don't want you to change yourself; this whole thing is my fault, besides, you'd just be stealing my idea." He ran his fingers through his short blonde hair.

He was wearing his brown contact lenses and she shook her head a little. She still found it strange to see him wearing them but today they would have to go out in to what could possibly be dangerous territory; the ministry.

"It's been so long since we got the letter, how do we know they'll even listen to us now?" He said, still wanting to avoid this at all costs.

"It would be the same I'd imagine. Do you really think they would react any different if we'd gone up to them with a letter like this a month ago? This whole thing is a gamble but hopefully we have some support on it." Hermione sighed.

"You're probably right, you're almost always right." He mumbled the last bit and she leant into him with parted lips and planted them on his.

His hold on her tightened, he was nervous but he trusted her. They had to do something after all.

Draco sat outside the small office of the auror that they were waiting to see with sweat forming on his brow. His knees were tapping and he couldn't focus his eyes on any one thing in particular. All he could hear was an incessant ticking sound and it was starting to make him lose it.

Hermione kept looking over at him with worried eyes whenever he would flinch to the left or exhale loudly. He really wasn't doing so well.

Draco couldn't hear anything but the ticking and it was making him grind his teeth. "What the hell is that noise?" He growled.

"What noise?" Hermione hissed.

"That horrible ticking sound?"

"You mean the clock?" She pointed to the old grandfather-like clock that hung on the wall opposite them and Draco sighed anxiously.

"Yes, the clock."

Hermione leant over and put her hand on his knee. "It's going to be fine, alright?" She murmured.

He nodded weakly and went straight back to tapping his feet. He didn't even look up when Ron walked into the room and took a seat beside Hermione. He took one look at Draco and raised an eyebrow.

"Is he alright." He nudged Hermione.

"Not really, he's just a little flustered I think." She said, worried that he might have a panic attack. "Who is this guy we're talking to?"

"His name's Phineas Caldron. He's a bit of a sourpuss I reckon but I think he'll take our side." Ron shrugged.

"He's eight minutes late." Hermione said, her own feet threatening to start tapping if they had to wait any longer.

Almost five seconds later the office door began to open and all three of them jumped to their feet in an instant. A middle aged man in a sludge-grey suit stepped out with a stern look on his face and looked at them all one by one, his gaze coming to a halt on Draco. He narrowed his eyes and breathed in deeply.

"Mr Malfoy, I never thought I'd see you on this side of the fence." He said with a gruff voice.

Draco gulped but didn't say anything and Hermione slipped her hand into his. Caldron lifted an eyebrow. "Young love I see." He nodded a little and Ron looked away and coughed a little in the awkward silence that followed. "Well then, get in here." He said to the three of them.

They wandered in slowly to sit in the chairs set out in front of his desk. Caldron groaned as he plopped down in his chair and leant back to eye the nervous teens as they exchanged nervous glances.

"So…" He began, picking up a piece of parchment from his desk. "From what I've been told you're all expecting some kind of personal vendetta to be acted out against you… am I right?"

"Yes." Hermione and Ron said together, Draco just nodded.

"All of it is based on this single letter?"

"Yes." The two said again, a little less confident than before.

"And you've heard nothing since your graduation?" He said, re-reading the letter.

"No, but they aren't going to just jump into-" Hermione started before she was cut off.

"What makes you believe this is more than just an empty threat?" He asked, looking down his nose at her.

She gaped for a few moments before he picked up again. "It says here 'next time we will not hesitate to act' but there has been no sign of retaliation other than the events at Hogwarts at the end of the last school year."

"Well some of their members were caught during the battle and that took a lot of preparation so I doubt they'll be rushing into this." Draco piped up unexpectedly.

Hermione and Ron just stared at him as though he had just sung a song to the rather grouchy auror. He put the parchment down on his desk and eyed Draco carefully; he seemed to be regretting his decision to speak up.

"And what motivation do I have not to begin an investigation on you yourself Mr Malfoy? From what I understand you were in cahoots with the former death eaters until mere hours before they tried to attack the school. How is it that I can be sure that the ministry is not putting its faith and resources into a very loose end?" He questioned Draco with his eyes but he said nothing.

What could he say to that?

"But he did warn us." Hermione said a little coldly.

Caldron looked over at her strangely and went to speak up before she got her word in first. "I know that he won't betray your trust because he won't betray mine. Even if we're the only ones who believe him it doesn't matter, it's the quality of one's convictions that determines success, not the number of followers." She said with flaring nostrils.

"And who may I ask, said that?" Caldron asked, his brow crinkled in a riled expression.

"A man who was very dear to my heart." The four of them turned to look at the door at the same time to see Kingsley Shacklebolt standing in the arch.

"Kingsley!" Hermione said, relieved to see him.

He walked in with a smile for Ron and Hermione and a compassionate nod towards Draco.

"Minister… I had no idea that you would be joining us for this meeting." Caldron said nervously.

"I had no idea either, not until just now."

Kingsley had been appointed as acting minister when the ministry reconvened and had been doing such a fine job that he was permanently instated. Hermione had never been happier to see the man.

"Please, continue." Kingsley said and looked over at Caldron contemplatively.

He seemed rather uncomfortable now and coughed, trying to compose himself. "As- as I was saying… there have been no perceived threats since this letter and with Mr Malfoy's questionable past-"

"He was cleared of all charges!" Hermione said, her eyes pleading.

Caldron looked to Kingsley who was nodding to himself. "I think we need to take a moment to compose ourselves here." He said softly. "Both parties have a valid argument. While there is quite the incriminating record for you Mr Malfoy you were cleared of all charges relating to acts committed during a time of crisis. I will also stand on my personal judgement by saying that anyone deemed fit to stand beside by these two fine young people must have qualities that make him an upstanding character. I would put my faith in them Mr Caldron." He nodded to Kingsley, possibly not having worked quite so closely with the minister before. Kingsley sighed and looked back to the three of them sitting before him. "However, I simply cannot put my aurors to work on a case like this with no more evidence than a letter. I promise you if the situation changes I will be the one to sign off on anything it takes to keep you safe. Both of you." He finished with a look to Draco who had almost turned green.

"What's it going to take?" Hermione said, tears threatening to break the barrier.

"If it's alright I'd like to try my luck at investigating this anyway." Ron said, "I have to do some kind of investigation to become qualified anyway don't I?"

"You do, and I'll allow it because it's independent, but you will follow protocol." Kingsley said.

Ron gave him a nod and Caldron packed all the papers into his file and handed it to him.

"Thanks." Ron mumbled.

"I truly am sorry that I can't do any more for you." Kingsley said and Hermione gave him a nod.

She had really thought that this would work, that they would be able to help. She knew they would already be trying to track down the others but they couldn't give either of them any extra protection or follow this avenue of investigation into their whereabouts without more information than this.

Draco stayed silent as they headed down to the foyer. Hermione tried to take his hand a few times but he pulled away subtly, not really wanting to be comforted or even really acknowledged. The only time he let her touch him was after they had said goodbye to Ron and were apparating back to their house.

The second they were inside he pulled away and walked straight upstairs and to the bedroom, closing the door with a loud thump. Hermione sighed and collapsed on the couch, putting her head in her hands.

She really did think this would work. Now it was up to them to play vigilante.

She spent a few hours downstairs trying to think of things they could do, ways they could make this come to a head sooner rather than later. When her brain got tired she picked up a book and began reading but she couldn't take her mind off Draco. The shower never started and she wondered what he was doing up there alone. She thought about making them some dinner but her stomach didn't feel too great about eating.

She watched the stairs for what felt like a long time before she finally decided to check on him. It had been a long time and she was worried. He wasn't usually like this.

She walked slowly towards the door and knocked gingerly. "Draco?" She said.

"Please just leave me." She heard his muffled voice return.

"Draco, I'm coming in." She said before turning the door knob and opening it into the room.

Draco was sat on the edge of the bed, his hands resting on the side and his head bowed. "I said don't come in." He said softly.

"I know, I ignored that part." She said, not approaching him too soon. "What's wrong Draco?"

"What do you think?" He said as he sniffed.

She realised that he had been crying and she felt her chest tighten. She walked over to sit by him but he kept turning his body away from her. "Draco please look at me." She put her hand out to touch his face but he pushed it away.

"No! Just stop!" He sobbed and stood up facing the window.

"Please…" She pleaded.

He heard the sadness in her voice and he sighed, swallowing his pain and turning to look at her in the glow of the evening light.

She tried not to let the sympathy she felt for him show on her face, she knew it would make him push her away. His eyes were red and puffy, his blue-grey eyes were finally free of the brown masks they had been hiding in all day and she felt as though she had not seen them in a long time. "Have you been up here all this time-"

"Crying? Yeah, pathetic I know." He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and shook his head.

"You know I would never think that."

"If it was just you they were threatening they would be doing everything they could to keep you safe. They can do that, they can keep you protected. I can't. All I can do is put you in danger and that is the _last_ thing I want to do." He said, more tears ready to fall.

"They wouldn't do it for me, that's why Kingsley can't just assign someone to help. He can't have favourites."

"It doesn't matter. If I hadn't followed you all that time ago-"

"Are you saying that you regret everything?"

"Don't twist the words I'm saying!" He raised his voice and a stream of salty water ran down over his already damp cheek.

"Then don't try to make blame out of nothing!" She said, walking up to him and brushing away his tears with her thumb. "I know that you would protect me if you knew how… you'd… I know you'd put my life before yours…" He scoffed, not knowing that he had already done that once.

"You put far too much faith in me. I'm a coward… just like my father." He sobbed and Hermione wrapped her arms around him.

"You're a braver man than almost any other I've known." She whispered into his ear and slowly his arms enclosed around her as well.

"I should be able to keep you safe…" He whispered.

"You are." She said as she ran her hands through his short blonde hair.

He didn't believe her, he knew that she was just trying to comfort him. He felt even weaker for letting her see him like this. He knew that right now he was the one being protected and he hated making her have to do that for him. He should be stronger than this.

He pulled himself out of her arms and walked over to the bathroom door. "You can eat if you like, I'm not hungry." He said.

"Me either." She confessed.

He nodded before heading into the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

It would be this kind of moment when she would talk to Harry, and it was times like this that she missed him more than ever. She sat down on her side of the bed and stared at the drawer that contained the letter.

She still hadn't replied and she hadn't known what to say until now.

She found a bare piece of parchment and a quill and a book to lean on as she began her reply. She bit her lip as she thought it through and started scratching away with the end of the quill.

_Harry,_

_I have read your letter over and over again and I haven't been able to figure out exactly what it was that I wanted to say until now. I want you to know that I'm not angry with you for making the choice. It wasn't an easy one to make._

_I feel the same way that you do. I'm tired of everything that's been happening and I fear that without Draco I wouldn't have been able to get through this last month. I wish I could say that that was because he is stable and calm under the pressure but I think we both know that's not true._

_I want you to keep your promise to Ginny, I want you to keep all of your promises to her because she deserves at least that. You need to make this the time for her because you had to keep your feelings hidden for so long. _

_Please don't feel guilty about walking away, I know that's why you wrote me your letter. You're my best friend Harry, don't go thinking you can hide things from me, I can always tell._

She smiled to herself as she wrote that last line. He always was a terrible secret keeper, especially from her. They were always so close to one another. She sighed and picked up where she left off.

_Right now we need to be apart but I want to see you again soon. You can't possibly know how much I've missed you this last month, or how much I've needed your shoulder. Please don't stop writing to me. Even if it has to be in secret, I don't think I could handle losing you completely._

_Not now, not ever._

_I love you Harry._

_I can forgive if you can, Hermione._

She blew gently on the wet ink until it was dry and folded the parchment to put in an envelope. She would have to head out and send it tomorrow where Draco wouldn't see.

For some reason she didn't want anyone else to know about their correspondence, not Draco, not Ron, especially not Ginny.

These things needed to stay between just them and Hermione knew that Harry would keep to that opinion on his end of the line too.

She put the addressed letter in her drawer and slowly began to undress. She pulled on some warm and comfortable clothes before letting out her hair and climbing under the bed sheets.

She was exhausted but her mind wouldn't shut down. She waited for Draco to finish his shower, she wanted to make sure he was there beside her. She had a feeling that he might try and sneak away to the couch to try and hide from his emotions but she wouldn't let him.

He wandered out in only his tracksuit pants and she gave him a pleading look. He blinked slowly and with a sigh he climbed into bed beside her, pulling her close.

She ran her hands back and forth up and down his arms and his eyes studied her face.

"Why do you do that?" She asked in barely more than a whisper.

"Do what?" His eyes locked on hers and her eyelids gave a little flutter.

"Why do you stare like that?" She smiled weakly and he actually returned it, pecking her lips ever so lightly.

"I don't ever want to forget a thing." He whispered, his hand reaching up to stroke her face softly. "This is my favourite part of you… well, second only to your mind, among other things." He gave her the smallest of cocky grins and she felt her cheeks flush.

"There's the man I love. I knew he was in there." She said.

"Sometimes other parts of me get in the way." He said, a little self-conscious at the fact that she had seen him lose his cool before.

She kissed the end of his nose. "And I love them all the same." She breathed.

His soft lips parted to make room for hers between them and she closed her eyes, wishing moments like these would never end.


End file.
